Research overview

Self-Assembly and Self-Replication Processes.

Molecular recognition plays a pivotal role in chemical and biological systems. Processes such as enzyme catalysis or signal transduction in cells depend on non-covalent interactions for their correct operation. Our Research Group is concerned with the study of non-covalent interactions at a fundamental level and the application of this knowledge in the transfer of concepts from biology to chemistry. We are interested in developing synthetic routes to complex mesomolecular systems through the programmed application of a fundamental understanding of non-covalent interactions in self-assembly and self-replication processes. Our research involves the interplay of experimental and computational methods - including synthetic chemistry, NMR spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations - for the design and construction of these systems. In particular, we have developed minimal and reciprocal synthetic replicating systems that are capable of information storage and transfer.